The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-05-26
THE THIRD WATCH.
The Time When Criminals Do Their
Worst.

Rev. DIR. Talmage Exhorts His Hearers to
Give Money to the Poor Rather than
Tracts-GambIers the Most Heartless Of
All EVIL Doors.
BROOKLYN, May 15.-At the tabernacle
this morning there were the same great
throngs Of people as usual, oyertiowingt the
main audience room into the corridors, and
from the corridors into the street. This,
the largest church in America, is more and
more inadequate to hold the people, as the
years go by. The pastor, the Rev. L. De
Witt Talmage, d. D., took for his text this
morning: "Watchman, what of the nlghtr"
Isaiah xxi. 2. He said:
When night came down on Babylon,
Nineveh, and Jerusalem, they needed care
full watching, otherwise the incendiary's
torch might have been thrust into the very
heart Of tie metropolitan splendor, or
enemies, marching from the hills, might
have forced the gates. All night long, on
top of the wall and in front Of the gates,
might be heard the measured step of the
watchman on his solitary beat; silence hung
in air, save as some passer by raised the
question: "Watchman, what OF the
night2"
It is tome deeply suggestive and solemn
thing to see man standing guard by night.
It thrilled through me, as at the gate Of an
arsenal in Charleston, the question once
smote me: "Who comes thereP" followed
by the sharp command: advance and give
the countersign.", Every moral teacher
stands on picket, or patrols the wall as
watchman. His work is to sound the
alarm; and whether ii be in the first watch,
in the second watch, in the third watch, or
in the fourth watch, to be vigilant until the
daybreak fings its morning glories" OF
blooming cloud across the arching trellis OF
the SKY.
The ancients divided their night into
four parts-the first watch, from to 8; the
second, from to 12; the third, from II to
8; the fourth, from to g.,
l speak now of the city in the third
watch, or from u to o'clock.
l never weary OF looking upon the life
and brilliancy of the city in the first watch.
That is the hour when the stores are clos
ing. The laboring men, having quilted the
scaffolding and the shops, are on their way
home. 1t rejoices me to give them my
seat in the city car. They have stood and
hammered away all day. Their feet are
weary. They are exhausted with the tug
of work. They are mostly cheerful, With
appetites sharpened on the swift turner's
wheel and the carpenters milestone, they
seek the evening meal. The clerks, too,
have broken away from the counter, and
with brain weary of the long line of figures,
and the whims of those who 60 shopping,
seek the face Of mother, or wife and child.
The merchants are embarrassing them
selves from their anxieties on their way up
the street. The boys that lock up are
heaving away at the shutters, showing the
heavy bolts and taking last look at the
fire to see that all is safe. The streets are
thronged with young men setting out from
the great centers of bargain making.
Let idlers clear the street, and give right
of way TO the besweated artisans and mer-
chants. They have earned their bread,
and are now on their way home to get it.
The lights in full jet hang over 10000
evening repasts-the parents at either end
of the table, the children between. Thank
God, who setteth the solitary in families"
A few hours later and all the places of
amusement, good and bad, are in full tide.
Lovers of art, catalogue In hand, stroll
through the galleries and discuss the pic
lures. The ballroom is replendent with the
rich apparel of those who, on either side OF
the white, glistening boards, await the
signal from the orchestra. The footlights
of the theater fash up, the bell rings, and
the curtain rises, and out from the gorge
ous scenery glide the actors, greeted with
the vociferation of the expectant multi
tudes. Concert halls are lifted into en-
chantment with the warble of one song
stress, or swept out ON a sea of tumultuouS
feeling by the blast of braZen instruments.
Drawing rooms are filled with all graceful
ness of apparel, with oil sweetness Of
sound, with all splendor of manner;
mirrors are catching up and multiplying
the scene untilit seems as if in infinite cor
ridors there we're garlanded groups ad-
vancing and retreating.
The outdoor air rings with laughter and
with the moving to of thousands of the
great promenades. The dashing span,
adrip with the foam o. the long country
ride, rushes past as you halt at the curb
stone.
Mirth, revelry, beauty, fashion, mag
nifcence mingle in the great metropolitan
picture, until the thinking man goes home
to think more seriously and the praying
man to pray more earnestly.
beautiful and overwhelming thing is
the city in the first and second watches Of
the night.
But the clock strikes II, and the third
watch has begun.
The thunder of the city has rolled out of
the air. The slightest sounds cut the night
with such distinctness as to attract your
attention. The tinkling of the bell of the
street-car in the distance and the baying of
the dog; the stamp of the horse in the next
street. The slamming of saloon door;
the hiccough of the drunkard; the shrieks
of the steam whistle, five miles away-Oh,
how suggestive, my friends, the third
watch CT the night!
There are honest men passing up and
h. % o;kr
who has been carrying o scutale of coal to
that poor family in that dark place. Here
is an undertaken going up the steps of
building from which there comes bitter
cry, which indicates that the destroying
angel has smitten the first born. Here is
q minister of religion who has been giving
the sacrament to dying Christian. Here
is physician passing along in great haste,
the messenger few steps ahead hurrying
on to the household
Nearly all the lights have gone out in
the dwellings, for it is the third watch of
the night. The light in the window is the
light Of the watcher, for the medicines
must be administered, and the fever must
be watched, and the restless tossing off of
the coverlid must be resisted, and the ice
must be kept on the hot temples, and the
perpetual prayer must go up from hearts
soon to be broken.
Oh, the third watch of the night What
stupendous thought whole city at
restl
Weary arm preparing for to-morrow's /,
toll; hot brain being cooled off; rigid mus
cles relaxed; excited nerves soothed; the
white hair of the octogenarian in thin ,
drifts across the pillow; fresh fall of
flakes on snow already fallen; childhood
with its dimpled hands thrown out on the
pillow, and with every breath taking in a
new store of fun and frolic. Third watch |
of the night! Gods slumberless eye will |
look. Let one great wave Of refreshing
Blumber roll over the heart Of the great !
town, submerging care, and anxiety, and |
vuarrirnav,k ,0oiY,